Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, recently spoke at an event in Moscow and encouraged Russian women to have larger families, suggesting they consider having eight or more children. He expressed concern about the decreasing number of births in Russia since the 1990s. This call for more children comes at a time when Russia has experienced over 300,000 casualties due to the Ukraine War, according to The Independent.
Putin emphasized the importance of boosting the country’s population in the coming years. He praised the longstanding tradition of larger, multigenerational families within various ethnic groups in Russia and urged people to revive and embrace this practice. Putin believes that strong families are not only crucial for society but also hold spiritual and moral significance.
He highlighted the need to preserve and grow Russia’s population for the nation’s future, stating that it is essential for the continuity of Russia’s heritage. The conference where Putin made these remarks was organized by Patriarch Kirill of Russia’s Orthodox Church and involved representatives from traditional organizations in Russia.
While Putin did not directly mention the casualties from the Ukraine War, some sources connected his remarks to the conflict. The war’s aftermath has posed challenges for Russia, including a shortage of workers and economic slowdown due to sanctions imposed by Western countries. The population of Russia, as of January 1, 2023, was reported to be 146,447,424, which is lower than the count in 1999 when Putin became president.